BERKELEY — Cal right tackle Mike Tepper didn’t want the whole world to see how much he was enjoying being a member of the Bears’ offensive line. But it was too late. The 45 points and almost 500 yards of total offense was overwhelming evidence.

Tepper was in the huddle during a media timeout late in Cal’s 45-31 win over Tennessee on Saturday when he broke out some of his best dance moves. That is, until he looked up and saw himself on Bear Vision.

“I got caught,” Tepper said. “I was having a great time. I looked up and the (camera) is just staring right at me. I just stopped. I think I waved.”

It was Tepper’s and the rest of the offensive line’s performance that allowed Cal’s running backs to dance their way for big gains and wide receivers to tango down field to get open. The line, which was outplayed during last season’s loss to Tennessee, dominated the Vols’ defensive line this time around.

“If one thing stood out to me more than anything, it was the play of the offensive line,” Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. “When you have a quality line like we have, it can afford you a lot of opportunity to do things. It starts with them.”

The Bears lost two starters from last year’s offensive line — Andrew Cameron and Erik Robertson — and replaced them with Tepper and Brian De La Puente. Cal returns two All-Pac-10 performers in center Alex Mack and left tackle Mike Gibson and has a third returning starter in right guard Noris Malele. Plus, Tepper and De La Puente each started a couple of games last season.

So although the complexion of the line is different, it isn’t lacking experience.

“It wasn’t a concern at all,” Tedford said. “We have great confidence in our group up front. They are a very talented group. I knew they were good all along. It was never a concern.”

If there were those who doubted the offensive line, it took one game to silence them. Tennessee usually is strong defensively, and the Bears traveled efficiently by ground and by air. Cal racked up 471 yards of offense, including 230 on the ground. Justin Forsett rushed for 156 yards on a 6.0 average. Quarterback Nate Longshore threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bears’ offense was stagnant last year at Tennessee and earned most of its yardage after the game was out of hand.

“Those guys were moving them off the ball,” Forsett said. “The first play of the game, I could tell it was going to be something special. I didn’t get touched until the secondary. It’s amazing to me. And they’re going to continue to get better.”

If the Bears can move the ball as well as they did against Tennessee, it’s hard to imagine many defenses slowing them down this season. Their next stiff test likely will come against Arizona on Sept.22. The Wildcats have one of the best defenses in the Pac-10. Cal visits Colorado State on Saturday.

Maybe it takes one of the world's most elitist institutions -- a monarchy, for goodness' sake -- to provide a view of Christianity rooted not in conservative cultural warfare (or unrelenting support for Donald Trump) but in an egalitarian love.